Archive note: Technical commentary has been removed. This remains historical pregame coverage; original selections have been retained where stated.
Note: Final picks on our picks page may differ from this article's predictions, as they incorporate last-minute goalie confirmations, injury updates, and live odds closer to game time. Always check the picks page for the most up-to-date selections.
NHL Predictions for March 14, 2026 - Free Picks & Best Bets
The Dallas Stars continue their elite run while struggling teams like Toronto and Detroit look to avoid free fall.
Anaheim Ducks @ Ottawa Senators
The Senators have established themselves as legitimate playoff contenders with a 6-2-2 record and exceptional puck possession metrics.
Linus Ullmark gives Ottawa a goalie edge over Lukas Dostal, and with two days of rest compared to Anaheim's single day, the home team holds the advantage. WP Hockey Predictor's NHL predictions favor Ottawa, making the Senators the pick in this Eastern Conference affair.
Boston Bruins @ Washington Capitals
This matchup features two streaky squads with nearly identical shot metrics, but Boston's recent form edges out Washington's. Both teams have won just two of their last five games, creating a true toss-up scenario.
Jeremy Swayman has been stellar for Boston and gives the visitors a slight goalie advantage over Linus Thompson in Washington. WP Hockey Predictor's free NHL picks slightly favor Boston, offering a close matchup with minimal margin.
Colorado Avalanche @ Winnipeg Jets
They've won four of their last five games and appear to be hitting peak form at the right time.
Mackenzie Blackwood's 18-7-1 record and elite performance give Colorado a major goalie edge over Connor Hellebuyck, whose 16-18-9 mark indicates inconsistency. WP Hockey Predictor's NHL predictions today favor Colorado, with the defending champions poised to extend their win streak in Winnipeg.
New York Rangers @ Minnesota Wild
Filipe Gustavsson's confirmed start for Minnesota is a major advantage, bringing a 24-10-6 record into the matchup. Igor Shesterkin remains elite, but the Wild's home-ice advantage and deeper bench play factor heavily.
Toronto Maple Leafs @ Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo has emerged as an East Division powerhouse at 8-2-0, while Toronto continues to struggle at 2-6-2. The Sabres have won four of their last five games versus Toronto's single win in that span.
Anchal Lyon's excellent 18-8-3 record for Buffalo outshines Joseph Woll's inconsistent play (14-11-4). The analytics and recent form overwhelmingly favor the home team. WP Hockey Predictor's NHL predictions strongly favor Buffalo, making this one of today's most confident picks.
San Jose Sharks @ Montreal Canadiens
Montreal enters this matchup as the higher-seed team with a 6-1-3 record, but surprisingly the Sharks present an interesting contrarian play. The Canadiens carry two days of rest versus San Jose's single day.
Jake Dobes' confirmed presence in goal for Montreal (21-6-4) is significant, but Alex Nedeljkovic has performed admirably for San Jose (12-9-3). WP Hockey Predictor's free NHL picks favor San Jose, offering value on the road team.
Carolina Hurricanes @ Tampa Bay Lightning
The defensive metrics clearly favor Carolina across multiple indicators.
Andrei Vasilevskiy (30-11-3) provides Tampa veteran leadership, but Bayley Busse's stellar 25-5-1 record for Carolina is among the league's best. Carolina's possession superiority and goalie advantage should prove decisive. WP Hockey Predictor's NHL predictions today favor Carolina, with the Hurricanes' metrics justifying the pick.
Los Angeles Kings @ New Jersey Devils
The Kings arrive on the second night of a back-to-back, which creates fatigue concerns despite their 3-2 record in their last five. The back-to-back situation becomes the difference-maker here.
Jonathan Markstrom (19-16-1) offers solidity for New Jersey against Adrian Forsberg (11-9-5). WP Hockey Predictor's free NHL picks favor New Jersey, factoring in the Kings' scheduling disadvantage.
Calgary Flames @ New York Islanders
The Islanders hold a 7-3-0 record but unexpectedly play the second night of a back-to-back, which could impact their output. The Islanders' superior possession should dominate, even with fatigue considerations.
Daniil Tarasov's confirmed status for New York (13-9-3) provides stability in net against Calgary's Dan Wolf (19-24-3). Despite the back-to-back, New York's underlying advantage should carry them through. WP Hockey Predictor's NHL predictions favor the Islanders, in a close call driven by possession metrics.
Columbus Blue Jackets @ Philadelphia Flyers
Columbus' Joonas Korpisalo (20-12-8) has been exceptional, while Philadelphia's Dmitrij Vladar (21-11-6) offers competent play. WP Hockey Predictor's free NHL picks favor Columbus, an underrated upset opportunity.
Detroit Red Wings @ Dallas Stars
The Stars have won four of their last five games while Detroit sits 4-5-1 with minimal momentum.
Jake Oettinger (27-10-5) stands as an MVP candidate, vastly outpacing Detroit's Jonas Gustavsson (24-15-2) in consistency and performance. WP Hockey Predictor's NHL predictions today strongly favor Dallas, with the Stars' elite scoring chances making this a confident selection.
Pittsburgh Penguins @ Utah Mammoth
Both teams show nearly identical metrics, making this a battle of recent form rather than overall dominance. Pittsburgh sits 4-3-3 but has won just one of five games.
Karel Vejmelka's elite 30-17-3 record for Utah towers over Casey DeSmith's 19-13-8, providing a clear goalie advantage for the home team. WP Hockey Predictor's free NHL picks favor Utah, with the Mammoth's goalie advantage and slight possession edge providing the edge.
Seattle Kraken @ Vancouver Canucks
This Western Conference battle features two struggling teams, but Seattle's edge in WP Hockey Predictor's NHL predictions suggests underlying value.
Philipp Grubauer (11-8-3) has kept Seattle competitive, while Vancouver's Kaapo Lankinen (7-21-5) represents one of the league's worst goalie situations. WP Hockey Predictor's free NHL picks favor Seattle, banking on superior scoring chances despite the overall talent gap.